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Building an Ivory Cabin on a Mountain So High: The Old-Time Music Camp and the (Re)presentation of Southern Appalachian Music

Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary

Stemming from my research on contemporary (re)presentations of vernacular music in southern Appalachia, this presentation focuses on the role of regional camps and workshops dedicated to immersive instruction in, and the active making of, old-time music. These events (such as the Swannanoa Gathering, the August Heritage Center, Allegheny Echoes and Cowan Creek Music School) provide for their participants a profound opportunity for communal learning and sharing, and play a distinctive role in fostering interest in and enthusiasm for the musical heritage of the region. But considered against the historical patterns of cultural (mis)appropriation, social and religious colonialism (especially the intertwined narrative of missionary and folk-school efforts), and insider/outsider narratives, the place of such camps becomes more complicated; indeed, some within the old-time community view them as wholly antithetical to “correct” transmission of regional musics. Through a theory-driven critical analysis of demographic data, teaching strategies, repertoire preferences (i.e., the iteration of an old-time “canon”) and interviews with instructors and participants, I examine the mechanics and meanings of the contemporary Appalachian old-time music camp; and grapple with the question of whether, how effectively, and for whom these camps (vis-à-vis related preservation efforts in the region) break down the common perception of an “old-time music monoculture” and nurture a view of Appalachia as a land of many mountains, many musics.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1

marc faris is a Teaching Assistant Professor in the School of Music at East Carolina University, where he teaches courses in music theory, composition, and American popular/vernacular musical traditions.

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Mar 28th, 9:30 AMMar 28th, 10:45 AM

Building an Ivory Cabin on a Mountain So High: The Old-Time Music Camp and the (Re)presentation of Southern Appalachian Music

Stemming from my research on contemporary (re)presentations of vernacular music in southern Appalachia, this presentation focuses on the role of regional camps and workshops dedicated to immersive instruction in, and the active making of, old-time music. These events (such as the Swannanoa Gathering, the August Heritage Center, Allegheny Echoes and Cowan Creek Music School) provide for their participants a profound opportunity for communal learning and sharing, and play a distinctive role in fostering interest in and enthusiasm for the musical heritage of the region. But considered against the historical patterns of cultural (mis)appropriation, social and religious colonialism (especially the intertwined narrative of missionary and folk-school efforts), and insider/outsider narratives, the place of such camps becomes more complicated; indeed, some within the old-time community view them as wholly antithetical to “correct” transmission of regional musics. Through a theory-driven critical analysis of demographic data, teaching strategies, repertoire preferences (i.e., the iteration of an old-time “canon”) and interviews with instructors and participants, I examine the mechanics and meanings of the contemporary Appalachian old-time music camp; and grapple with the question of whether, how effectively, and for whom these camps (vis-à-vis related preservation efforts in the region) break down the common perception of an “old-time music monoculture” and nurture a view of Appalachia as a land of many mountains, many musics.